516 BACTERIA IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES NOT PROVED 



from these ulcers. Various common microorganisms were obtained in cul- 

 tures from the chancroidal ulcers, but a negative result was obtained in his 

 cultures from the pus of buboes. In pustules developed upon the arm from 

 the inoculation of chancroidal virus he found constantly a bacillus which 

 did not grow in artificial cultures. This was about 1.48 fi longandO.5/* 

 thick, with round ends. It was readily stained with a solution of f uchsin, 

 but not by Gram's method. 



CHOLERA INFANTUM. 



The researches of Booker and of Jeffries do not support the idea 

 that cholera infantum is due to the presence of a specific microor- 

 ganism in the intestine, but rather that the symptoms are due to the 

 absorption of toxic products formed in the alimentary canal, or in 

 the child's food before it is ingested, as a result of the multiplication 

 and ferment action of various microorganisms, and especially of 

 certain putrefactive bacteria. The common putrefactive bacillus, 

 Proteus vulgaris, and other species nearly related to this, were found 

 by Booker in a considerable proportion of his cases, and he is dis- 

 posed to believe that these putrefactive bacteria play an important 

 part in the development of the morbid phenomena which character- 

 ize the disease. Jeffries, after reviewing the various theories which 

 have been advanced in explanation of the etiology of cholera infan- 

 tum, says : " Bacteria I believe to be at the bottom of the disease 

 that is, rule bacteria out of all foods and the alimentary canal, and 

 summer diarrhoea would cease to be." Upon another page of his 

 memoir he says : " Passing a step further, the symptoms, patho- 

 logy, and etiology of summer diarrhoea stand in close relationship 

 with the group of symptoms first clearly brought to light by Panum 

 as putrid infection. The animals poisoned by the injection of pu- 

 trid fluids, sterile or not, sicken and die with two variable groups of 

 symptoms : one referable to the nervous system, the other to the in- 

 testines, diarrhoea being a prominent symptom, and the autopsy re- 

 vealing inflammatory changes in the intestine/' 



CHOLERA NOSTRAS. 



What has been said above with reference to cholera infantum 

 applies as well to cholera nostras. This has not been shown to be 

 due to the presence in the alimentary canal of a particular micro- 

 organism ; but it can scarcely be doubted that the morbid pheno- 

 mena are induced by the development of toxic substances as a result 

 of the ferment action of various species of bacteria. 



Finkler and Prior (1884) obtained from the faeces of patients 

 with cholera nostras a spirillum which they supposed to be the spe- 

 cific cause of this disease, but subsequent researches have not con- 

 firmed their conclusion. Thus, in seven cases studied by bacterio- 



